Biomarkers of environmental tobacco smoke exposure.
Open Access
- 1 May 1999
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Environmental Health Perspectives in Environmental Health Perspectives
- Vol. 107 (suppl 2), 349-355
- https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.99107s2349
Abstract
Biomarkers are desirable for quantitating human exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and for predicting potential health risks for exposed individuals. A number of biomarkers of ETS have been proposed. At present cotinine, measured in blood, saliva, or urine, appears to be the most specific and the most sensitive biomarker. In nonsmokers with significant exposure to ETS, cotinine levels in the body are derived primarily from tobacco smoke, can be measured with extremely high sensitivity, and reflect exposure to a variety of types of cigarettes independent of machine-determined yield. Under conditions of sustained exposure to ETS (i.e., over hours or days), cotinine levels reflect exposure to other components of ETS. Supporting the validity of cotinine as a biomarker, cotinine levels have been positively correlated to the risks of some ETS-related health complications in children who are not cigarette smokers.Keywords
This publication has 60 references indexed in Scilit:
- DNA adduct and mutation analysis in white blood cells of smokers and nonsmokersEnvironmental and Molecular Mutagenesis, 1994
- Relation of passive smoking as assessed by salivary cotinine concentration and questionnaire to spirometric indices in children.Thorax, 1993
- Relation of urinary cotinine concentrations to cigarette smoking and to exposure to other people's smoke.Thorax, 1990
- The chemical composition of environmental tobacco smoke III. Identification of conservative tracers of environmental tobacco smokeEnvironment International, 1989
- Particulate and Nicotine Sampling in Public Facilities and OfficesJAPCA, 1989
- Passive smoking, salivary cotinine concentrations, and middle ear effusion in 7 year old children.BMJ, 1989
- Tobacco sidestream smoke: Uptake by nonsmokersPreventive Medicine, 1984
- Hydroxyproline excretion in urine of smokers and passive smokersPreventive Medicine, 1984
- Absorption of nicotine and carbon monoxide from passive smoking under natural conditions of exposure.Thorax, 1983
- Smokers of Low-Yield Cigarettes Do Not Consume Less NicotineNew England Journal of Medicine, 1983